Vertically adjustable understructure for a desk or the like



1952 H. B. BARBER 3,058,794

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE UNDERSTRUCTURE FOR A DESK OR THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11. 1959 iIEi I r i INVENTOR.

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Oct- 16, 1 2 H. B. BARBER 3,058,794

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE UNDERSTRUCTURE FOR A DESK OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 11, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. j OZZ/Qfti 5562/25 677 BY MZQWMMh n M/W Oct- 15, 1962 H. B. BARBER 3,058,794

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE UNDERSTRUCTURE FOR A DESK OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 11. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

3 $58 794 VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE UNDERSTRUCTURE FGR A DESK (1R THE LIKE Howard B. Barber, North Manchester, 11111., assignor to Peabody Seating Company, Inc., North Manchester,

Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Dec. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 858,945 6 Claims. ((31. 31139) The present invention is concerned with desks and like articles and, more particularly, with a vertically adustable understructure therefor.

The general object of the invention is to provide a new and improved vertically adjustable understructure for a desk or the like.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide v a new and improved reversible side-book-box type desk having a novel vertically adjustable understructure.

Apreferred embodiment of the invention is presented here n but it will, of course, be appreciated that the invent on is susceptible of incorporation in other forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, from the front, of a sidebook-box desk embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken as indicated by the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view, on enlarged scale, of the desk shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view, on enlarged scale, of the portion of the understructure of the desk of FIG. 1 permitting vertical adjustment of the desk;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken generally on the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken generally on the line 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, from the front, of an open-book-box desk embodying the invention.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a side-book-box desk 10 includes a generally rectangular horizontally extending desk top 11, a book box 12 secured to the underside of the desk top 11 adjacent one end of the desk 10, and a novel vertically adjustable understructure for supporting the desk top 11.

The novel understructure includes a pair of supporting brackets 15, a brace member 16, two pairs of parallel laterally spaced members 17, a pair of double leg units 20, each of which is provided with a clamping bracket 22, a pair of separate complementary clamping brackets 24, and a pair of bolt-and-nut type fasteners 25 for clamping each set of brackets 22 and 24 together.

The two supporting brackets are secured to the underside of the desk top 11 at opposite ends thereof. Each supporting bracket 15 is characterized by an upwardly opening U-shaped portion 28 which extendslaterally of the desk top 11 and by a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets 29. The end portions of the bracket member 16, which member may be tubular and generally M-shaped in form, are supported in the U-shaped portions 28 of the supporting brackets 15 whereby the brace member 16 is held against the underside of the desk top 11. A channel-shaped member 31 may be secured to the underside of the desk top 11 to aid in positioning the brace member 16 relative to the desk top 11. During assembly of the desk 10, the M-shaped brace member 16 is positioned against the underside of the deck top 11 so that the center thereof abuts against one end of the channel-shaped member 31.

The upper ends of each pair of members 17 are rigidly secured in the sockets 29 of one of the supporting brackets 15 whereby the pair of spaced members extend vertically downward from the desk top 11 in parallel relationship.

aired rates @aterrt EQQ Each member 17, which may be tubular as shown in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, is provided with a series of vertically spaced transversely extending notches 33 on the side thereof facing the other member 17 of the pair. .The notches 33 in the members 17 of each pair are arranged in horizontal alignment with each other and with the notches 33 formed in the pair of members 17 at the opposite end of the desk 10. The lower ends of each pair of members 17 may be connected by a plate member 35.

Each of the double leg units 2% includes a pair of inverted generally L-shaped leg members 37 having the ends of the horizontally extending portions thereof rigidly interconnected by the clamping bracket 22. The interconnected ends of the leg members 37 may be received in horizontally disposed sleeve portions 38 located at opposite ends of each clamping bracket 22 and rigidly secured therein, as by spot welding, as indicated at 39 in FIG. 5. Each clamping bracket 22 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced vertically extending open-sided sockets 40 for interfitting engagement with the outer sides of a pair of the members 17. Each clamping bracket 22 is also provided at its upper edge and intermediate the sockets 40 with an integral, fiat, horizontally extending tongue 42 which extends horizontally and inwardly of the bracket 22. The tongue 42 is selectively engageable along its side edges in any one of the vertically spaced pairs of aligned notches 33 in a pair of the members 17 when the sockets 40 of the bracket 22 are arranged in interfitting engagement with the outer sides of the pair of members 17 whereby to support the associated leg unit 20 in any one of a number of vertically adjusted positions relative to the pair of members 17 The separate complementary clamping brackets 24 and the bolt-and-nut type fasteners 25 are provided to retain the tongues 42 is supporting engagement in the aligned pairs of notches 33. Each separate clamping bracket 24 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced vertically extending open-Sided sockets 44 which are adapted for interfitting engagement with the inner sides of a pair of the members 17. Each set of clamping brackets 22 and 24 are held together by one of the bolt-and-nut type fasteners 25 which extends through horizontally extending openings formed centrally in each of the brackets 22 and 24. Each set of brackets 22 and 24 is thus clamped about a pair of the members 17 with the tongue 42 engaged in a pair of the aligned notches 33.

To vary the height of the desk top 11 relative to the floor or supporting surface upon which the desk 10 rests, it is merely necessary to unclamp each set of brackets 22 and 24, by loosening the fasteners 25, sufiiciently to permit disengaging the tongues 42 from the notches 33 in which they are received. The tongues 42 are then engaged in either upper or lower pairs of notches 33 after which each set of brackets 22 and 24 are tightly clamped together.

The book box 12, which is generally U-shaped and open at both ends, may be provided with an upper shelf 48 and a brace member 49 which extends between the bottom of the book box 12 and the lower ends of the adjacent pair of members 17. Two pairs of slots 50 (FIG. 1) are provided in the bottom of the book box 12 with said pairs being located at opposite ends thereof. A plate member or closure 52 of a size to fit over either open end of the book box 12 is provided along its bottom edge with a pair of tabs 53 for engagement in the slots 50 at either end of the book box 12 and along its side edges with a plurality of gripping members 54. After the tabs 53 on the lower edge of the plate member 52 have been fitted in the pair of slots St? in either end of the bottom of the book box 12, the plate member 52 may be pressed against that open end of the book box 12 whereby the gripping members 54 will snap over and grip the rolled persons.

As previously mentioned herein, the book box 12 depends from one end of the desk top 11 whereby to leave room for a persons legs between the book box 12 and the leg unit 20 at the opposite end of the desk. In the desk illustrated in FIG. 1, the Open end of the book box 12 is located to the right of a person sitting at the near side of the desk, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3. However, by removing the closure 52 from the far end of the book box 12 and assembling it over the near end of the book box 12, the open end of the book box 12 will be located to the left of a person sitting at the far side of the desk 10.

The vertically adjustable understructure for a desk or the like illustrated in FIGS. l-6 inclusive may be used in the fabrication of many difierent types of desks, for example, an open-book-box desk 61), as illustrated in FIG. 7. The desk 60 includes a generally rectangular desk top 62 supported on a book box 63 which is open at the end thereof adjacent a person sitting at the desk. The book box 63 is supported on a vertically adjustable understructnre which is identical to that previously described with reference to FIGS. 1-6 inclusive. For convenience and to eleminate unnecessary repetition, the elements of the vertically adjustable understructure of the desk 60 illustrated in FIG. 7 which correspond exactly to the elements of the vertically adujstable understructure illustrated in FIGS. l-6 inclusive have been identified by the same reference numerals multiplied by 10.

I claim:

1. In a vertically adjustable nnderstructure for a desk or the like, the provision at each end of the desk of a pair of spaced parallel members which are secured to the underside of the desk and extend vertically downward therefrom, each of said members being provided with a series of vertically spaced notches with the notches in one of said pair of members being horizontally aligned with the notches in the other member, a double leg unit, a clamping bracket secured to the upper portion of said unit, which bracket is provided with a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets for interfitting engagement with certain sides of said members, a separate complementary clamping bracket also provided With a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets for interfitting engagement with the opposite sides of said members, one of said clamping brackets being provided with a horizontally extending tongue for selective latching engagement with a pair of said horizontal aligned notches, whereby to support said leg unit in any one of a number of vertically adjusted positions relative to said members, and means for releasably clamping said brackets to said members.

2. In a vertically adjustable understructure for a desk or the like, the provision at each end of the desk of a pair of spaced parallel members which are secured to the underside of the desk and extend vertically downward therefrom, each of said members being provided with a series of vertically spaced notches with each notch in one series being horizontally aligned with a notch of the other series, a double leg unit, a clamping bracket secured to the upper portion of said unit, which bracket is provided with a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets for interfitting engagement with certain sides of said members, and which bracket is also provided with a centrally located horizontally extending tongue for selective latching engagement in a horizontally aligned pair of said notches, whereby to support said leg unit in any one of a number of vertically adjusted positions relative to said members, a separate complementary clamping bracket also provided with a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets for interfitting engagement with the opposite sides of said members, and means for releasably clamping said brackets to said members.

3. In a vertically adjustable understructure for a desk of the like, the provision at each end of the desk of a pair of spaced parallel members which are secured to the underside of the desk and extend vertically downward therefrom, each of said members being provided with a series of vertically spaced notches on the side thereof facing the other member of the pair, a double leg unit, a clamping bracket secured to the upper portion of said unit, which bracket is provided with a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets for interfitting engagement with certain sides of said members, and which bracket is also provided between said laterally spaced sockets with a horizontally extending tongue for selective latching engagement with a facing pair of said notches, whereby to support said parallel members in any one of a number of vertically adjusted positions relative to said leg unit, a separate complementary clamping bracket also provided with a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets for interfitting engagement with the opposite sides of said members, and means for releasably clamping said brackets to said members.

4. In a vertically adjustable .understructure for a desk or the like, the provision at each end of the desk of a pair of spaced parallel members which are secured to the underside of the desk and extend vertically downward therefrom, said members of each pair being provided on the sides thereof facing each other with a series of vertically spaced pairs of transversely extending aligned notches, a double leg unit at each end of the desk, each leg unit being characterized by a pair of inverted generally L-shaped legs and by a clamping bracket interconnected between the ends of the horizontal portions thereof, which bracket is provided with a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets for interfitting engagement with the outer sides of a pair of said parallel members, and which bracket is also provided between said laterally spaced sockets with an integral, flat, horizontally extending tongue for selective latching engagement with any one of said pairs of aligned notches, whereby to support said pairs of parallel members in any one of a number of vertically adjusted positions relative to said leg units, a separate complementary clamping bracket at each end of the desk, each of which brackets is also provided with a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets for interfitting engagement with the inner sides of a pair of said parallel members, and releasable fastener means for clamping said brackets to said members.

'5. A desk or the like comprising, a top structure, a pair of supporting brackets secured to the underside of said top structure, said supporting brackets being located at opposite ends of the desk and each being characterized by an upwardly opening U-shaped portion and by a pair of vertically disposed laterally spaced sockets, a brace member disposed against the underside of the top structure with the end portions thereof being secured in said upwardly opening U-shaped portions of said supporting brackets, two pairs of spaced parallel members with the upper ends of each pair being secured in said vertically disposed sockets of said supporting brackets whereby said pairs of members extend vertically downward from-the top structure of the desk, each pair 'of said members be- 7 ing provided with a series of vertically spaced transversely extending notches, a pair of generally inverted U-shaped double leg units, releasable clamping bracket means on the upper end of each leg unit adapted for engagement with the sides of said pairs of parallel members, and a horizontally extending tongue associated with each of said clamping bracket means for interlocking engagement with any one of said vertically spaced notches whereby to support each pair of parallel members in any one of a number of vertically adjusted positions relative to said leg units.

6. A desk or the like comprising, a top structure, a pair of supporting brackets secured to the underside of said top structure, said supporting brackets being located at opposite ends of the desk and each being characterized by an upwardly opening U-shaped portion and by a pair of vertically disposed laterally spaced sockets, a generally M-shaped brace member disposed against the underside of the top structure with the end portions thereof being secured in said upwardly opening 'U-shaped portions of said supporting brackets, two pairs of spaced parallel members with the upper ends of each pair being secured in said vertically disposed sockets of said supporting brackets whereby said pairs of members extend vertically downward from the top structure of the desk, each pair of said members being provided on the sides thereof facing each other with a series of vertically spaced pairs of transversely extending aligned notches, a pair of double leg units each of which is characterized by a pair of inverted generally L-shaped legs and a clamping bracket interconnected between the ends of the horizonal portions thereof, which bracket is provided with a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets for interfitting engagement with certain sides of a pair of said parallel members, and which bracket is also provided between said laterally spaced sockets with an integral, flat, horizontally extending tongue for selective latching engagement in any one of said pairs of aligned notches associated with a pair of said parallel members, whereby to support one of said leg units in any one of a number of vertically adjusted positions relative to said pair of parallel members, a pair of separate complementary clamping brackets each of which is also provided with a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced sockets for interfitting engagement with the opposite sides of a pair of said parallel members, and a pair of releasable fastener means for clamping each set of said brackets to a pair of said parallel members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,364,022 Bauer Dec. 28, 1920 1,454,565 Sanford May 8, 1923 2,438,257 Stevenson Mar. 23, 1948 2,805,906 Hoven Sept. 10, 1957 2,811,401 Chaney Oct. 29, 1957 2,815,801 Fingerhut Dec. 10, 1957 2,842,414 Wolff July 8, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 937 Sweden Jan. 7, 1887 

